Portable gaming devices are enjoyed by many users around the world. One type of such gaming device includes both hard button controls, which provide the user with tactile feedback to reinforce correct finger positioning on the control, as well as a touch screen, which enables the user to interact with a game using, for example, a stylus. One drawback of such a device is that the hard buttons take up valuable space in the device, constraining the size of the display, and increasing the size of the housing. Reducing the size of the hard buttons is challenging because small buttons are often difficult for users to actuate, particularly during fast paced game play. Further, in the context of a gaming device that also functions as a multi-function tablet computing device or mobile telephone, dedicated buttons on the front of the device devoted specifically for game play may detract from the usefulness or appearance of the device to those consumers who do not play games.